My Own Two Hands Will Comfort You
by Just Kill Me Alive
Summary: "I love you, Marik, but you're not mine..." The Tozokuo family are in trouble, and the only way they can survive is if their daughter marries a man they fear. But when they arrive to help with the preparations for the wedding, the man, Marik, takes an interest in the eldest twin, Bakura. In a time where homosexuals are feared and considered monsters, will they be able to survive?
1. Chapter 1

**Title: **My Own Two Hands Will Comfort You**  
Summary: **_"I love you, Marik, but you're not mine..."_ The Tozokuo family are in trouble, and the only way they can survive is if their daughter marries a man they fear. But when they arrive to help with the preparations for the wedding, the man, Marik, takes an interest in the eldest twin, Bakura. In a time where homosexuals are feared and considered monsters, will they be able to survive?**  
Rating:** M**  
Chapter: **1/?**  
Warning: **Sexual themes, language, homophobia (all of which in later chapters. If something else appears, I will mention it.)**  
Words: **4788**  
Author's Notes:** First of all, this is going to be eventual Thiefshipping, I promise. It may seem as it it's centred around Amane but this is only until the characters have been introduced and you know what's going on roughly. It will eventually change to surrounding Marik or Bakura, just hang in there. Also, this is an AU, so there will be some things that won't seem correct and you probably won't find a century that this is taking place in, because I don't know which century either. So I wouldn't try looking if I were you.

Chapter One

She was perched on the edge of one of the seats that had been cut into the stone wall, staring out the window expectantly. Her gloved hands grabbed her skirt by her knees tightly, causing the hem to rise and show off her underskirts and the tips of her shoes.

The view she had was nothing to be proud of. The garden that fell under the window like a carpet was brown and dead, looking as if it had seen better days. Trees dotted it, though their leaves absent, creating an uneasy look about the place. The house itself was old, made from a wooden frame and stone walls, the floor worn away and scuffed, little holes in the marble that were big enough to make you trip if you weren't watching your feet. The furniture was moth-bitten and had been reduced to rags. The doors creaked with every opening and the wood was rotten, to the point where it would collapse on you and you wouldn't know it until it was too late. The smell was musky and damp, suffocating.

With the light from the setting sun washing over her features, her pale skin glowed. She was nothing short of attractive; her brown eyes matching her brothers', her auburn locks falling past her shoulders in gentle waves. She had a long, thin neck and delicate hands. Her cheeks were high and rosy, her lips full. Her gaze full of life and joy... That was, until now.

In the silence of the room, the voice seemed deafening. But it was welcome. "I don't know what you be doin' up here on your own, miss."

The young woman snapped her head around, standing up immediately. She didn't let go of her skirts – much the opposite, she grabbed them tighter. "It is my time, yes?"

The servant's features softened and her boots thudded as she walked towards her mistress. How she had not heard her before was a mystery. Had she really been that unfocused? The servant in green stopped a few feet away, drying her hands unnecessarily on her apron. She hung her head, tired eyes closing and greying hair falling past her face. "That it be, miss, that it be," she said quietly, almost softly.

With a small, subtle nod, the auburn haired girl marched across the room, her high-heeled shoes making a much lighter sound than the servant's boots. When the thudding started once more, she knew she was being followed. She stopped just outside the door, her brown eyes looking around the hall, trying to memorise everything. She didn't know when she'd see this place again.

"Mistress?" the woman behind her called uncertainly.

"Please. Give me a moment," she murmured, her gloved hand coming up to touch the wall. She waited until she heard the thudding of boots disappear to collapse against the wall, sliding down the once smooth surface.

She looked on sadly ahead of her, at the wooden banister, the stairs that accompanied it, and, with them, her fate. She needed to be strong, to stand her ground, and maybe, just maybe, she might be able to get through this. It wasn't all that bad, she was just making it sound worse than it already was. She had nothing to fear, she was going to be treated right – of that there was no doubt. But her heart felt cold and her eyes stung at the thought of never seeing the house she'd grown up in again, or her family. What if she couldn't do it? What if she would be unable to do something that would save them?

No. She wiped her eyes and forced herself to stand. She was not going to back out of this. She would be the woman she had been raised to be, and she would bring her family pride. Taking a deep breath, she grabbed her skirts once more, so as not to trip, and began making her way down the hall and towards the steps. The wood creaked under her weight but she didn't pay it any mind.

She stopped once she'd reached the bottom, her hands letting go of the fabric to instead wrap around her brother. She hadn't expected them all to be waiting for her there. She closed her eyes and squeezed him tight, feeling her heart drop when he returned her hug.

"Be careful, Amane," he whispered in her ear before he, pulled away. Out of the two twins, he had always been the one more open and more sentimental, though that wasn't to say that the other didn't stand out. Their white hair and dark eyes was what made them stand out. Nobody had ever seen such a combination, nor with their fair skin. They were always on the end of stares whenever they left the house. It was truly irritating, but Amane knew she would miss it.

"I will, Ryou," she replied with a small smile. He returned it, though it didn't look the least bit sincere.

There was a shuffling sound from her left and she looked over at the oldest of the three of them; Bakura. She stepped in front of him, looking him in the eye. There was hardly any expression on his face but that didn't stop her from hugging him, too. She could practically feel him hesitate before he gave her a squeeze and then pushed her away.

Her mother dragged her towards her body, gripping her hard. She gripped the woman just as hard, feeling her shake a little and sniff. They pulled back after several moments and looked at each other with watery eyes. Mrs. Tozokuo wiped away the tears from her daughter's cheeks.

"Be strong, okay? You're going to get through this. We'll visit you sometime in the next few months. You'll be fine," she said quietly, nodding.

Amane raised her hands to take her mother's away from her face, giving them a squeeze and then letting them go. "I will, mother, I promise."

The brunette turned to her father, who offered her his arm. She took it and sniffed, gently dabbing at her eyes with her finger. She breathed deeply through her mouth.

"Ready?" the man asked quietly. When he received a nod, he led her out the open front doors and down the marble steps. The carriage stood a few feet away, the stones of the drive crunching under their feet. One of the horses whinnied and stamped its hoof against the ground out of impatience. He helped her up the step and into the carriage, letting her arm slip through his fingers as she did so.

The young woman turned to stare at him with wide eyes. "Are you not coming?"

"I. . . Cannot," he said, hanging his head. "I need to stay and keep our family alive and well, you must know that." His olive coloured eyes met hers. "You'll be fine on your own, won't you?"

Amane pressed her lips together, her face paling at the thought of not having someone she knew with her. "Yes, father."

Mr. Tozokuo grabbed her arm once more before she managed to slip inside and be gone forever. He pressed a quick kiss to her forehead and then let her go. "We will visit as soon as we can."

She merely nodded, disappearing inside the carriage. She sat on one of the seats, her hands placed neatly on her knees while she moved her feet together. A man she had never seen before came into view and closed the door to the carriage, sealing her off from waving goodbye to her family. The brown eyed girl took a deep breath. There was nothing to fear.

Her hands came out to grab whatever they could as the carriage moved without any warning. She breathed shakily through her nose until she had calmed enough. Her eyes flickered to the window on the opposite side of her, seeing familiar ground and scenery run past the window.

Who was she kidding? Dropping her head into her hands and resting her elbows on her knees, she tried to control herself. She was being taken from the life she knew, from the life she was familiar with, to one that she had only believed existed in fairytales and legends. She couldn't believe it. It had to be trickery. Though these thoughts wouldn't do her any good, she couldn't stop them from showing themselves in her mind. They would always be there, even if she refused them entry.

She lifted her head a little and peaked through her gloved fingers, out the window. The sky was darkening at a rapid pace. She could only wish that they had come sooner. She didn't want to arrive in a place she knew nothing of in the dark. It only heightened her fear.

The ride was bumpy and the seats uncomfortable, making it impossible for the youngest Tozokuo child to sleep. Her hands slid along the thin fabric of the cushioned seats as her body followed. She neared the window and looked out, pulling the curtain closest to her face out of the way. Darkness. It was all she saw, it was all she could see. There were no lights out, the sun had set completely, the night engulfing her surroundings and herself. She moved back in her seat, only stopping when her back met the wall. She let go of the curtain and breathed deeply. She would be okay, she told herself.

Amane tried to relax but it was futile. Her body was coiled like a spring, ready to defend herself should need be. She found it impossible to sleep, fingers twitching nervously, bouncing her leg and causing a light clicking sound to echo around the room. Not even the sound of the wheels of the carriage going over rough terrain that once had been a welcoming sound could calm her nerves.

"You have nothing to fear," she whispered to herself, running her fingers through her hair. "_They_ were the ones who suggested this. They're not going to harm you, they wouldn't go back on their word. None of their kind would." She dropped her hands by her sides and let her head fall back, staring up at what would've been the ceiling had she been able to see it. "You're safe. No matter how much you hate this, you're doing it for the family."

Deciding that it would be best if she tried to forget what was inevitably about to happen, she closed her eyes and let the rocking of the carriage lull her to sleep. If she could.

* * *

"Miss."

. . .

"_Miss_!"

Brown eyes snapped open and she bolted upright, breathing hard. Her gaze flickered around what appeared to be a dark room when something touched her arm. She shrieked and jumped, bringing a leg up to defend her stomach and her arms up in front of her face. Peaking through the gaps, she saw a confused looking butler staring at her, leaning inside from a door.

It only took her a few moments to remember where she was.

Letting out a deep breath, she placed a hand on her chest and let her leg and other arm drop. "You scared me."

"Forgive me, miss," he said without missing a beat. "But you have arrived at the Ishtar residence. I only meant to wake you."

Blinking for a few minutes, she looked him up and down, inspecting him. He didn't appear to have any weapons on him and he didn't flinch when she stared him in the eyes. "Very well," she said cautiously.

He nodded once and crawled back out of the cart. After sorting her hair out and smoothing down her dress, she stared at the doorway. She didn't have much of a choice. Standing up, she moved along the carriage and then stepped down and onto the stone driveway. She blinked and looked around, actually surprised with what she found. By the looks of things, the house she was stood in front of was more of a mansion, but she wasn't completely sure. She simply judged by the light coming from the windows. The cold air suddenly registered on her skin and he shivered, rubbing her arms with her hands.

"Ah, miss Tozokuo! I hope you had a pleasant trip!"

Amane snapped her head over to see an exotic looking woman approaching her with her arms open. Her black hair was swept back form her face, though there wasn't much to see at this time of night. The woman wore a cape with a hood that hid her features from the light of the candles that a servant held by a man. She stumbled as she was pulled into an embrace by the woman.

When she pulled back, Amane could see a small smile on the woman's lips. "I do believe introductions are in order. I am Halima Ishtar. And that," she gestured to the man behind them who tensed as soon as the young girl's eyes laid upon him, "is my husband, Okpara Ishtar." She turned back to the other girl, offering what could only be described as an apologetic look. "You would've met the children had your departure not been so late. I would hate to keep them up at this time, I apologise."

". . . No, it is fairly understandable," Amane said, blinking a few times rapidly before she managed to get a hold of herself. _Nothing to be scared of. _"I do not wish to rush you, but it is cold out and I am very tired-"

"Yes, of course! How silly of me! Come." Halima took hold of the girl's arm, interlocking it with her own, and lead her towards the house that towered above them like a giant on look-out.

Looking over her shoulder, the teenager bit her lip. "What about my luggage?"

"No need to worry about that! Our butlers will take them to your room," the exotic woman said cheerfully.

The British female sighed and looked ahead, eyes squinting as the doors to the house opened and light hit her in the face like a brick. It took her a while to get used to it as she had been encased in darkness for the last few hours. Her tired gaze flickered around the room they were in; the floors were well-kept, the stone walls had carvings on them (pictures, _scenes_), the carpets weren't moth bitten, there was furniture dotted here and there, and the ceiling was high with a magnificent glass chandelier hanging from the middle of it.

Mrs. Ishtar had let go of her arm and was raising her hands towards her own head. Amane watched as she pulled the hood down to reveal a tanned face framed by dark locks, golden earrings hanging from her earlobes. She stared wide-eyed, though she didn't mean to. She knew very well that it was rude and she would hate to come across as such, but she had never seen someone, well, like this.

Halima looked at her, a small smile still present on her face. She didn't even have to speak for the brunette to begin apologising profusely.

"Do calm down, child," she said, her smile not wavering. Placing a hand on the girl's shoulder, she slowly guided her to a staircase that was almost shoved right under their noses. "You have had a long journey and you must be tired. I will escort you to your room and make sure your things are brought up with you. Then you may sleep."

"I. . . Thank you." Stopping to give a small curtsy, the pale girl could feel her cheeks flush when a small chuckle was the reaction she got.

"You don't need to curtsy to me, I am not on a higher position than you," she said, continuing up the stairs. Her cape trailed out behind her, the movement hypnotising.

"But you are, madam," Amane argued, following her quickly but swiftly, not making too much sound on the clean floor.

Halima stopped at the top of the stairs and peered down at her. She said nothing back and began to make her way down a hall that had been just as decorated as the first room Amane had seen. The girl followed as quietly as she could. Even in her tired state, she tried to remember the way back to the main staircase from her room. She didn't want to get lost.

"This is it," the tanned female stopped in front of a nicely decorated door, turning the handle and pushing it open.

Amane followed her inside, her eyes widening as she took in the size of the room, then the decoration. A large canapé double bed stood proudly to one side with silk sheets. There was a large wardrobe on the other side, along with a wooden dresser fit with a cushioned stall for her to sit on and a mirror for her to look into. There was a bookshelf and two armchairs with a small coffee table between them. A carpet covered almost the whole of the room, candles placed in iron holsters in the room, giving off a warm glow.

"Wow," she breathed, absent-mindedly walking to the middle of the room and turning slowly so she could see every aspect.

"I take it that you like your room?" There was a smile on Mrs. Ishtar's lips as she clasped her hands in front of her, watching the girl with soft eyes.

"This is unbelievable!" She stopped twirling when there was a small thud near the bed, seeing two butlers give her a bow before leaving. Her luggage had arrived.

"If you have no more questions, I will leave you to rest."

"Ah, yes, thank you," the Tozokuo family member said, giving the woman a curtsy even though she'd been told she didn't need to. A small laugh was met with her action before the door closed and she was alone in the room.

She stood straight for a moment, keeping her posture and staring at nothing. She was finally here. She hadn't been attacked or bombarded with questions, and that exotic woman sure seemed nice enough. She didn't feel threatened, which was good thing. But she didn't feel safe, either. She felt as if she needed to be on her guard, but her level of drowsiness stopped her from being so. Her shoulders slouched and she closed her eyes momentarily, breathing deeply through her nose.

It didn't take her long to start shredding the layers of her dress and change into a night-gown – her favourite, to be precise. She was too tired to sort out the layers of her dress and placed them on an armchair. The curtains on the windows were pulled and she was happy for that, as they looked too heavy for her to move them on her own. Grabbing the lit candle from the bedside table, she blew the others on the walls out. Going back to her bed, she pulled the covers back and slipped inside. Finally blowing out the last candle, she closed her eyes and hoped to God that she would be able to sleep.

* * *

Sunlight sneaked its way into the room through the small cracks in between the curtains, giving the room a nice orange glow. The room was quiet and seemed void of occupants until a bundle in the bed shifted onto its side, curling up and burying its face into a soft pillow.

Slowly opening her eyes, the teenager immediately yawned and stretched, letting the few waves of pleasure roll over her body before she flopped back down onto the mattress. It took her a moment to awake properly and she stared up at the ceiling of the canapé bed she found herself in. Her situation caught up with her and she forced herself into a sitting position, staring around the room once more. In the light of the morning, she could see pretty much everything from last night. Nothing seemed out of place, nothing seemed unusual. It looked like a normal bedroom. Her cheeks darkened when she saw how her layers had been chucked onto an armchair, feeling deeply ashamed.

Amane rubbed her eyes to rid of the small clumps of dust that gathered there when sleeping and got out of bed.

First of all, the British girl set about putting her stuff where it should be, knowing she would be staying here for a while. She placed all of her clothes in the wardrobe, accordingly. Her shoes made their home on the bottom shelves of the wardrobe. While she picked out an outfit to wear, something in the corner that she hadn't noticed caught her eye. It had been too dark the night before, now that she remembered, and this morning she hadn't sent it a second glance, thinking it had been a merely empty corner. She froze before hurriedly continued dressing, wanting to forget the object.

She sat herself down in front of the mirror of the dresser, letting out a huff at her hair. She grabbed her brush and began brushing heavily, wincing every time it hit a knot. When her hair was knot-free and smooth to the touch, she set about putting it up in the way her mother had told her. She scraped her hair back from her face pulled it into a tight bun at the back of her head. A few strands fell loose, just touching her eyelashes. She pushed them away and made sure that the rest of her hair looked presentable enough, some of it falling past her collar bones. She watched herself in the mirror for a while. She had tried to make herself seem presentable, wearing a blue dress that had a slimming effect – or so she'd been told. A blue-green sash was wrapped around her waist and the front of the skirt had been cut in order to show the white underskirts beneath. The sleeves reached her wrists, brushing her knuckles.

Amane forced herself to stand, the little stool falling over with a dull thud. She quickly righted it and then headed for the door to the hall. She stepped out, letting it fall shut behind her. Trying to remember which way to go, she succeeded vaguely, her memory foggy from the night before.

It wasn't long before she found herself at the top of the stairs that Halima had stopped at the night before. She let her hand touch the banister as she made her way down the stairs. Her footsteps were light and the sound bounced around the large room. When she reached the bottom, she looked both ways, slightly lost. She walked over to one of the archways and her eyes widened at the dinning room that spread out before her. It was very well decorated – but not to extremes – with what appeared to be an oak table and chairs. She stepped in tentatively, looking around.

"You must be my brother's fiancée."

The voice startled her and she whirled around, her skirts fanning out around her legs with the action. Her brown eyes settled on a woman standing in the middle of the doorway, her arms by her sides as she looked Amane up and down. She, too, was tanned, much like the two adults from the night before, with piercing blue eyes and black hair that fell just past her shoulder blades, straight as a needle. She had a golden headdress perched on her head, matching bracelets and jewels hanging on her cream coloured dress. Around her neck was a golden necklace with what seemed to be an eye carved into the metal.

"Who. . . Who are you?" Amane asked quietly, kicking herself for stuttering. This woman was obviously important.

"My name is Ishizu. Ishizu Ishtar," the young woman said calmly. She appeared to be older than Amane herself, though quite a bit younger than Halima. She took a few steps forward, giving the paler one a small smile. "I am the middle child of the house."

Amane's heart finally began to calm down and she straightened her posture, bowing her head a little. "I apologise for my behaviour. You gave me a fright," she said quickly, not daring to look at the other.

Ishizu let out a small laugh, lifting her head with two fingers. "You have nothing to apologise for. I should have known that you weren't paying attention to your surroundings."

Looking her up and down, she didn't feel like she needed to be on edge around Ishizu, she seemed to be a nice lady. She didn't appear to be judgemental, either. She looked a lot like her mother, though there were a few features and gestures that reminded the younger one of the man she hadn't spoken to the night before.

"I. . ." Amane looked around at the room once more. "I appear to be lost. I do not know where I am supposed to be, nor where everyone else is."

"It is almost noon. We have already eaten and are attending to our duties," Ishizu said calmly.

Brown eyes widened. "I did not mean to sleep in so late!"

"Please, calm down. You had a long journey, I have been told, and you looked practically dead when you arrived on our doorstep, it is only natural that you would sleep in so late."

Hanging her head even so, Amane let out a deep breath. She lifted her head and opened her mouth to speak when a growling noise from her stomach cut her off. Her cheeks coloured and a hand slapped itself over her mouth in embarrassment.

A warm chuckle met her ears once more. "Would you like it if I told chef to prepare you breakfast?" the tanned lady asked.

Nodding, the Brit sighed in defeat. So much for a good first impression. "Yes, please."

She didn't have to wait long to be seated at the table, staring at an array of fruit in front of her, with a bowl of porridge and a glass of orange juice. She almost felt at home as she placed pieces of fruit in her porridge and relaxed enough to eat. It was nice to know that she would be able to keep something familiar with her. She didn't shove it down, she didn't eat like a starving man being shown a banquet, no. She ate delicately until she was finished. She wiped her mouth neatly on her napkin, leaning back as a servant took away her meal. When she got up and pushed her chair back, she was surprised to see Ishizu standing by the doorway.

"Can I help you?" she asked cautiously.

"I have a feeling you will want to meet my brother soon enough," was her reply. It puzzled her for a moment. Sure, she was here for that reason – she had no choice – but she had hardly settled in. "If you would kindly wait in the Main Hall while I find him, you two can meet."

Amane wasn't given an option as the exotic woman twirled on her heels and left the room. Giving a small sigh, she followed her into the Main Hall and decided that she might as well look around while she waited.

Walking up to one of the carvings slowly, she reached a hand out to touch the smooth surface, her mall fingers dipping into the cracks in the stone and tracing the drawings effortlessly. None of them made sense to her. But then again, she wasn't aware of the past of the house. Maybe it had something to do with that? Maybe she was simply reading too much into it, and it was simply decorative? That was always a possibility.

Her fingers traced men, animals, objects and things she couldn't decipher. It was somewhat therapeutic, keeping her mind from wandering to unnecessary thoughts. The cold stone under her touch calmed her and she soon found herself moving slowly around the room without thinking, letting herself feel. She had managed to get to the other side of the room when a familiar shape jumped out at her. She stopped and stared at it in the wall, tracing it again and again. The eye stared back. Insanely, she thought she'd seen it blink. She frowned and stilled her hand. Surely, it had been a trick of the light! . . . Right?

"Excuse me?"

The voice made her jump, facing the owner with her back pressed up against the wall. That was the second time she'd been caught off guard. She half-expected herself to find Ishizu there but instead, she was staring into violet coloured eyes.


	2. Chapter 2

**Title: **My Own Two Hands Will Comfort You**  
Summary: **_"I love you, Marik, but you're not mine..."_ The Tozokuo family are in trouble, and the only way they can survive is if their daughter marries a man they fear. But when they arrive to help with the preparations for the wedding, the man, Marik, takes an interest in the eldest twin, Bakura. In a time where homosexuals are feared and considered monsters, will they be able to survive?**  
Rating: **M**  
Chapter: **2/?**  
Warnings: **Sexual themes, language, homophobia (all of which in later chapters. If something else appears, I will mention it.)**  
****Words:** 3338  
**Author's Notes: **I know this is somewhat shorter than the previous chapter but I wasn't entirely sure how to end it. If I'm entirely honest, I don't particularly enjoy how the ending happened anyway. But, it's done. And I don't feel particularly happy in trying to rewrite it.

Chapter Two

"I didn't mean to startle you."

Amane blinked a few times until she was able to focus on more than that colour. She took a step away from the wall, but made sure there was some distance between her and the man in front of her. She tried to control her breathing, taking in his form. His voice was smooth and held an accent she had never heard before. "St-startle me? I was not expecting you, that is all."

A golden eyebrow was raised at her stutter and just the hint of a smirk graced his lips. His hands were hidden behind his back and he bowed a little, blond locks brushing his cheeks as they hid some of his features from view. "Even so, miss, I probably should have cleared my throat to alert you of my presence."

She shook her head, letting her posture relax enough but kept her back straight. As soon as he straightened his body, she curtsied in response. "I would appreciate it if you would call me by my name, master Ishtar."

"So would I," he retorted.

She snapped her head up to look at him, the cloth of her skirt falling from between her fingers as her arms dropped by her sides. Standing somewhat stiffly, she swallowed. "Very well."

Slipping something inside his coat pocket, the young man offered her his arm, the smirk on his face never leaving. "Would you care to take a walk with me through the gardens?"

She eyed him, looking him over for some kind of sign that he wanted to hurt her or that he had a concealed weapon. She mentally thought of what he'd put in his pocket, but it seemed much too small and too weird a shape to be a weapon. Still, she wouldn't take her chances.

"If you lead the way, I am sure I will be able to follow," Amane finally replied, her chin tilting up a fraction.

His eyes gleamed for a moment and he retracted his arm. He gave her a slow nod, turning on his heels. "As you wish, miss Tozokuo."

A frown etched itself onto her face but she followed nevertheless, keeping her word. They exited the Main Hall through the same double doors that Amane had entered the night before. Taking a right at the bottom of the steps, brown eyes narrowed as they walked along a rocky path that soon led to earth. She picked up her dress instinctively, so as not to dirty it. They turned around the side of the house and continued walking. While her gaze was stuck on the floor making sure she wouldn't trip, she missed the scenery that slowly – ever so slowly – began to show itself in front of her. Only when she bumped into somebody else did she look up, auburn locks flying around her face from the action.

"I do apolo-" She stopped talking as she took in what she saw in front of her. Luscious green grass spread out as far as the eye could see, perfectly kept and well trimmed, with flowers dotting here and there. Trees had grown tall and sheltered certain parts, even going so much as leaning over the paths that had been made into the earth, crashing into each other and letting their leaves and branches hang down. Of course, there were different types of trees; some simply had leaves, while other sported flowers and some even had healthy looking fruit peeking through the greenery. All of this lead to a small dome-like shape in the middle of it. The floor was wooden with benches inside, under a slanted rough. There was enough room in the middle of the structure for a few couples to dance without feeling claustrophobic.

"Impressive, isn't it?"

Amane moved her gaze from the scenery to the tanned male standing next to her, seemingly pleased with her reaction. "It's beautiful," she whispered, not daring to say it any louder.

Offering his arm once more, Marik raised his eyebrows. "Will you take my arm now, miss Tozokuo?"

She let out a sigh, glaring at him softly. "It's Amane." Even so, she took his arm in a gentle hold.

"Giving out your first name on the first meeting. A little rash, isn't it?"

The teenager frowned. This man was exceedingly cheeky and it was getting on her nerves. She looked away as they began to walk, taking hold of the front of her dress with her free hand, pulling it up just a little.

"But, if you insist, you may call me Marik," he said, sighing as if he was doing her a favour.

". . ." She still didn't look at him, her mind whirling with how she was going to play this. The object in the corner of her room was still freaking her out a little, but she wanted to forget about it. It wasn't like she was forcing herself to remember, it was more like her mind wasn't giving her an option.

"What time did you arrive last night?"

"Late enough that Mrs. Ishtar did not want to wake you," she replied, watching a bush full of blue flowers as they passed. She felt the need to bend down and pick some of them to put in a vase but dismissed the idea almost immediately.

There was a smirk audible in his voice, "She would have a panic attack if she heard you calling her that."

"Then what am I supposed to call her?" Amane asked, finally turning to look at his face. "Your mother? The lady of the house?"

He chuckled and shook his head. "Simply call her by her name and she will be happy."

She watched him suspiciously as they continued to make their way under the trees. The back of her dress was getting dirty though she didn't notice, the grip she had on the front of her dress was slowly loosening as well. "Why are you acting so warmly towards me? Not you on your own, your whole family, as if I have been a friend for years. We hardly know each other, yet you act like all my secrets are you open to you."

Those weirdly coloured eyes stared into hers, never leaving, even as he neatly stepped over the root peaking up from the earth. It would appear he knew the paths here like the back of his hand. "You are to be a part of our family, are you not? Why should we treat you as a stranger, if that be the case?"

She snapped her mouth shut, the frown not leaving her features. It didn't make sense to her. Even if she was to become part of the family, she still didn't know these people and expected to be treated as formally as she had been treating them until they got to know each other better, no? That was the logical way to go about this situation, was it not? With a small huff, she slipped her arm free from his and gripped her skirts in both hands, marching on in front of him. Marik raised an eyebrow at her but followed, not saying a single word.

Amane wasn't paying attention to the male who had accompanied her, more the bumpy path she was walking along, some tree roots sticking out from the earth and trying to make her trip. She was grateful for the shadows created by the trees above her. She didn't know if she could stand the sun's naked rays.

She was pulled to a stop by a tanned hand on her arm, causing her waves of hair to float around her face once more as she was forced to turn and face the exotic man. "Here," he said, his voice the same as before, just as smooth and accented, holding something a few inches from her nose.

Her eyes were forced to go cross-eyed as she stared at a blue blur in front of her. "What is it?"

He chuckled, pushing something into her hair. "So wary. You must relax, I am not going to harm you."

She looked up at him with a narrowed gaze and raised a hand to carefully touch whatever had been placed in her hair. It was soft, smooth and delicate.

"It is a flower," he answered her previous question. Walking around her and continuing along the path, he clasped his hands behind his back.

Could it be the same blue flower she had been watching earlier? It took her a moment to realise the handsome male was not standing with her and she twirled on her feet, walking after him. She demanded, "Where are you leading me?"

"If you remember, I asked you if you would join me for a walk through the gardens. That is exactly what we are doing."

Sneaky bastard. She sighed low under her breath, crossing her arms over her chest and purposefully looking away from the figure clad in black and purple, all topped off with golden thread and decorations. She couldn't help but wonder how he could with-stand the heat in such an ensemble. No human would be able to, and his skin told her that he loved bathing in the rays from the sun.

She exhaled once more, letting her body relax. Brown eyes gently moved from plant to plant, taking in each detail and beauty from each species. The gardens seemed overwhelming as a whole, but when one took the time to look into each of the things that formed it, you could see the little things that made the suffocating feeling worthwhile. Amane stopped, reaching a hand out to press it gently against a tree trunk, feeling the roughness beneath her fingertips.

Marik looked over his shoulder, violet eyes shining in the few rays that squeezed through the holes between the leaves, at the British girl too busy inspecting bark to notice his gaze. He couldn't help but somehow get the feeling that she didn't belong there. Something was missing.

Feeling something press against his leg, he pushed his hand into his pocket and his fingers wrapped around the box found there. He nodded to nobody in particular and walked over to the female, stopping just behind her. He leaned down enough that his chin was inches from her shoulder.

"I have something for you," he said quietly.

Amane actually let out a scream, jumping and whacking her shoulder into his chin, her hands flying to her mouth as she turned to stare at who had startled her.

Marik frowned at her, rubbing his chin, "That was hardly necessary."

"You gave me fright!" she shouted indignantly, a furious expression sitting on her pretty face full of soft features. She dropped her hands from her mouth and placed them on her hips.

"Remind me never to try and surprise you ever again," he said with a groan. "But yes, I have something for you."

She stared at him suspiciously once more. It appeared she didn't trust him at all, even when it had been his family's idea for this wedding. He didn't understand why she wouldn't relax around them. Well, that was a lie. He knew perfectly well why she refused to let her guard down, though this act was getting tiresome. "Is it another flower?"

He shook his head and pulled the box out of his pocket. Her eyes immediately widened and she brought a hand up to her gaping mouth. He caught sight of her and chuckled. "Do not worry, it is nothing like that." He opened the box and showed its contents to her. If possible, her eyes widened more.

Inside, sitting on what appeared to be silk was a black necklace made up of tinted glass beads. There was the basic ring of beads, that would sit around her neck, and probably reach her collar bones, while two more came off the main chain and joined in the middle of the necklace where there was a simple yet pretty flower-shape made of slightly bigger beads. Hanging from the flower was a single glass bead, slightly clearer than the rest of them, in the shape of a tear drop. There were a few more, smaller chains of beads, mainly for decoration, going this way and that, but in general the whole thing took her breath away.

"This is for me?" she asked quietly, uncertainly, not daring to reach out and touch it in case it turned to smoke. Disbelief shined in her coloured orbs. Was this actually happening? She hadn't been here for twenty-four hours, and yet she had already gotten something? Impossible!

"It is a gift, for our first encounter," he said, answering her question when he took the jewellery from its case, closing the box with a snap, and pushing it back in his pocket. He unhooked the claps and held it up. "Turn around."

She dropped her hand from her mouth and did as she was told. When she felt the cold beads touch her bare skin, her breath hitched. Her fingers twitched, wanting to touch the necklace, but instead held up her hair so he could hook the clasp once more. The quiet clicking sound and weight on her chest told her the deed had been done. She dropped her hair and let her fingers skim across the top of her gift.

After a moment of silence, Marik grew a little impatient. "Well? Let us see." He gently guided her to face him with a hand on her shoulder. He smiled a small smile. "It suits you."

She just stared at him, not saying a word for a moment. She couldn't believe she'd just got given a gift and she hadn't even been particularly nice to him. Eventually, she found it in her to speak. "Thank you. . ."

His smile widened just a little. "You are welcome, miss."

Before she could tell him off for not calling her by her name, the sound of rushed footsteps caused them both to look to their side. A servant stopped near them, breathing hard with a hand on his chest. He straightened up and looked directly at Marik.

"Your father. . . Called for you. . . Sir," he managed to get out, letting out a long breath.

The tanned male frowned. "You can tell my father that I am busy right this minute and will attend to him at a later time."

"I'm afraid I cannot do that, sir. He said it be urgent," the servant insisted. He was almost breathing normally once again, the only thing showing on his face was a mask of nervousness.

The man clad in purple looked him over with his gaze of the same colour, his chin tilted upwards slightly. "Is he in the Millennia room?" he asked, seemingly suspicious.

". . . Yes, sir."

He cursed under his breath and then turned to Amane. "Please excuse me. I must go see what my father wants of me."

The young teen stood there, her hand still stroking the glass beads, and watched as the youngest Ishtar family member marched through the gardens with a look of determination on his face. She didn't know what was going on, what the Millennia room was, nor why the boy had looked so pissed. She pursed her lips, let her hand finally drop to her side and gripped her skirt, walking off in the opposite direction to Marik.

* * *

The door closed behind her and she let out a sigh, her shoulders sagging as she was left alone. Her skirts flitted about her legs as she slowly moved towards the stairs. Her footsteps could be heard bouncing around the carved walls. She didn't even see a maid or a butler scuttle past, rushing to do their job. Moving along the corridors swiftly, she continued on her way, not bumping into anyone as she found her bedroom and entered.

Amane quickly changed her clothes, not wanting to leave any more dirt around the residence any more than she had. She looked around the room for a place to put them and ended up letting the dirty cloths hang from the back of one of the armchairs in her room.

The brunette walked up to a window, staring out. She felt happy to know that she had a view of the gardens from her room. Her brown eyes flittered across the landscape, coming to the back of the garden where she hadn't been able to explore as of yet. She narrowed her eyes and leaned closer to the glass, trying to see what was there. Gates in black stood proudly from the earth, an iron fence closing off a small patch of the dirt. Tombstones dotted the inside, some covered in moss with an ancient feel to them while others looked more recent. Carvings could be seen vaguely, though not made out.

The Brit shook her head lightly and leaned away from the window. Her small hands came up to her hair and pulled it loose from its bun. She pulled all of her hair back from her face this time, putting it all up in a messy bun, not letting any strand fall and frame her face.

She pressed her hand against the cold glass and looked out again at the seemingly graveyard, wondering why it was so small. Surely, this family was rich enough and big enough that they'd need more space to put their loved ones who'd passed on. She was sure of it. Her own family had the same amount of gravestones to her name, buried in the town's cemetery, not taking up more space than the Ishtar's own small cemetery.

A knock on the door caused her to turn on her heels and look over. She flickered her eyes around the room and smoothed out her new dress, hoping she was somewhat presentable. "Come in!" Only after she'd called out did she remember that she had dirty clothes lying on an armchair. She rushed to get them but was stopped when the door opened and a maid entered.

"I came to see if you had any clothes in need of a wash, miss," she asked, her beady eyes immediately flickering to the clothing that Amane's hands were in inches of touching.

The girl retracted her hands, straightening her back. "Well, in that case, I wore this dress in the gardens earlier today and it has a little dirt on the bottom of the skirts. . . They could do with a wash."

The maid said nothing, simply nodded and walked forward, taking the materials in her arms and exiting the room. Her footsteps echoed around the hallway, the black shoes she was required to wear clacking loudly despite her calculated footsteps. Amane chewed on her bottom lip before she made her way to the still open door and peeked out.

"Wait!"

The maid stopped obediently and turned, cocking her head ever so slightly in a silent question.

The Brit chewed on her forefinger, thinking it over. Did she really want to know? Was she really in that big a bowl of curiosity that she just needed to find out? Sure, she was curious, but all her family was, too. It was only natural for her to be curious about a species that was only different from her own by a single aspect.

"Miss?"

Her brown gaze focused on the maid once more, who, if she wasn't mistaken, actually looked somewhat concerned. The Tozokuo female shook her head. "Could you tell me where the library is?"

The maid stared at her before answering. "Sure, miss. This way."


End file.
